Typewriting machine



April I 1924. 1,488,920

E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed-sept. 28. 1921 L Patented Apro 1,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. HESSJOF MANHATTAN BEACH, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROYALTYPEWRITER COMPANY, II\T(J., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed Septemben28, 1921.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known t at I, EDWARD B. Hess, a citizen of the United States,residing at Manhattan Beach, in the county of Kings, New York, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in'lypewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to type to actions for typewritingmachines and especially to that class of type actions in which the typebars are actuated by the key levers through other levers interposedbetween the key levers and the type bars and operatively it connectedtherewith.

In myUnited States Patent No. 1,390,708,

of September 13, 1921, I have shown a type action in which the keylevers are connected to the type bars by means of levers pivotallymounted in the front portion of the machine and which are connected withthe key levers and the type bars by links in a novel way, whereby when akey is depressed to its full extent the associated type bar is moved towhat is termed a toggle-locking or deadcenter position in front of theplaten and at such a distance therefrom as to reduce noise during thefurther movement of the type bar about its pivot tothe platen, caused bythe momentum of the type bar. In that patent I have claimed broadlyconnections between the key levers and thetype bars which so operate thetype bars as to produce the results above specified.

According to my present invention 1 have embodied some of the broadfeatures shown and claimed in said patentin a type action in whichtwo-armed levers are interposed between the key levers and the type barsand are connected with the key levers and the t pe bars in a novel wayand in such manner tliat when a key is depressed to its full extent anassociated type bar is moved to a position in front of the platen and atsuch a distance therefrom as to reduce noise during the further movementof the type bar about its pivot to the platen. The key levers and thetype bars are arranged horizontally and the two-armed levers, as beforestated, are interposed between the key levers and the type bars, beingnormally arranged substantially horizontally and are adapted to be movedthrough an arc of' approximately 90. One arm of each lever is connectedSerial N0. 503,852.

with a key lever, while the other arm of said lever is connected with anassociated type bar. The link which connects the twoarmed lever with thetype bar is pivotally connected with the two-armed lever and with thetype bar below the pivot of the type bar and approximately in the samevertical plane therewith. The organization is such that when a key isdepressed to its full extent the type bar is moved part-way to theprinting point, its further movement being caused by its momentum. Thepivotal point between the said link and the heel of the type bar movesduring the operation from a position below the type bar pivot forwardlyand upwardly, there being no movement of said connection substantiallyin rear of the plane of the type bar pivot. During the operation theopposite ends of the link which are pivoted to the heel of the type barand to the two-armed lever are brought into a straight line with thepivot of the type bar with which it is connected, thus assuming atoggle-locking or dead-center position. After this there is no furtherdownward movement of the key leverbut a slight upward or return movementis given thereto when the parts pass the dead-center position and duringthe momentum period as the type bar approaches the rinting point. Eachtwoarmed lever is link-connected with an associated key lever and duringthe operation the pivotal connections between the opposite ends of alink, a key lever and a twoarmed lever are brought into a straight linewith the axis about which the two-armed lever moves, but during themomentum period this condition is changed and the pivot point of thelink with the two-armed lever moves backwards to a slight extent andthis is during the time that the dead-center condition of the link withthe type bar isthe movement of the key levers the escapement mechanismis operated in the manner hereinafter more fully explained.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view, largely diagrammatic, of portions of a typewritingmachine embodying my improvements, some parts being shown in sideelevation and some in section and the position of some of the partsbeing exaggerated for purposes of illustration;

Figure 2 is a detail view showing particularly how the two-armed leversare mounter on a supporting rod.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing alternative universal bar and keylever relation.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings parts of a typewriter carriage are indicatedat A and B indicates a platen. C indicates a type bar segment, D a typebar guide and E parts of a ribbon guide. Escapeinent mechanism isindicated at F. a key lever at G and a type bar at H. The type barsnormally lie horizontally, their rear ends being pivoted to the segmentat a and their. front ends being supported by a cushioned rest l. Therear ends of the key levers are pivoted at z' to a support J and theupward movement of the. front portions of the key levers is arrested bya cushioned stop K. Eachv type bar is returned to normal position by aspring L, attached at one end to the heel of the type bar and at itsopposite end to a support L.

Interposed between the key levers and the type bars is a series oftwo-armed levers M, there being one sucht wo armed lever for each keylever and its associated type bar. These levers M are all mounted toturn independently on a horizontal rod N, suitably supported in themachine frame. The levers are held suitable distances apart by spacingrings 1, as shown in Fig. 2. Each lever M normally lies substantiallyhorizontally, as indicated in Fig. 1, and. comprises a short arm m and alonger m. The shorter arm.

of each lever is connected by a link 0 with an adjacent key lever, whilethe longer arm m is connected by .a link P with the heel of anassociated type bar. It will be observed that the pivotal connectionm-of the link P with the type bar is below the type bar pivot inapproximatelythe same vertical plane therewith and the arrangement issuch that when a keyis depressed to its full extent the associated typebar will be movedpart-way to the printing point, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 1. When the type bar reaches this position the pivot pointa: between the rear end of the link P and the heel of the type barassumes a toggle-locking or deadcenter position'with the pivot point 0of the type bar and the pivot point y where the link P is connected tothe lever M. This condition is indicated by dotted lines in slightupward movement lines in Fig. 1. Normally, or when the parts i are atrest, the link 0 is inclined from its lower end upwardly and forwardly.When a key is depressed the shorter arm of the associated lever M ismoved downward and rearward, as indicated, through an arc of about Thelonger arm of the lever is moved upward and forward to the positionshown by dotted lines, where the ivot point 2 of the link 0 with thelever hf and the pivot oint g of the link 0 with the key lever are in astraight line with the axis about which the lever turns. When moving tothis position the longer arm of the lever moves anti-clockwise and thepoint i does not move beyond the position shown by dotted lines inFig. 1. During the momentum period the point 3 has a slight returnmovement rearwards. The mechanism is such that the type bars areoperated with ease and facility, they are given 'a quick upward movementto their dead-center position, and by momentum are carried to theprinting point in such manner as to materially reduce noise when thetype strikes the platen.

The universal bar comprises a rod R horizontally arranged below the keylevers and connected by arms 1' to the support J. The arms 1 arepivotally mounted in the support and one of these arms is connected withan upwardly extending or vertical arm 7*, the upper end of which isconnected by a link S with a lever T, pivoted at w to the rockerplate Wof the escapement mechanism. This lever T has an arm t, which isnormally disposed some distance in front of the rocker-plate as shown.When a key is de pressed the universal bar mechanism with which it isconnected is also depressed and through the connections shown operatesthe lever T, but at first the operation is such as to turn the lever Tabout its pivot w without moving the rocker-plate, but as soon as thearm t comes in contact with the lug w. of the rocker-plate the levercannot move further about its pivot and therefore the rocker-plate isproperly moved to disengage the pawls and the escapement is properlyoperated. It will'be observed that b the mechanism shown and abovedescribe the escapement is operated during the latter lid part of themovement of the type bars. The escapement mechanism shown, except in theparticulars above described, is similar to that used in the Royalstandard machine. The links S may be adjusted by the devices .5' toproperly operate the mechanism and it will be observed, by reference toFig. 1, that the link S is inclined from its front end rearwardly, itsconnection at s with the lower end of the lever T being somewhat lowerthan the connection of the link with the upper end of the arm 7'. Inthis way the carriage with the escapement mechanism may be raised andlowered for case printing without disturbing the relation of the parts.

A spring V connects the arm 1* with the frame part V. The springs L,which return the type bars to normal position, hold them at rest andprevent them from vibrating, are somewhat stronger than the spring V.The construction shown affords a rapid disengagement of the escapementpawls by comparatively small movement of the universal bar. The relationof each key lever with the universal bar mechanism and escapementmechanism is such that the depression of a key operates the cscapementmechanism during the latter part of the movement of the key. When a keyrises to normal position the escapcment operating mechanism assumes anormal position ready for the next operation. By employing springs I1 ofgreatertension than the spring V, the type action is restored promptlyto normal position, these springs being strong enough to move thetwo-armed lovers from their dead-center position at each operatlon.

In Figure 3 I have shown a modification in which the lever T, shown inFigure 1, is omitted. In this way, the lost motion between the arm t ofthe lever T and the car '21) of the rocker is transferred to a. spacebetween the universal bar R and the key levers. In this way noise issomewhat reduced. In Figure 3, the link S instead of being connected toa lever is connected directly to the rocker plate.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with key levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated type barcomprising a two-armed lever operatively connected to both the key leverand type bar so that a full depression of the keylpver produces a deadcenter relation of parts in two separate portions of said connections,with the type bar at a distance-from the laten from which position itcompletes 1ts travel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with key levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated type barcomprising an intermediate lever operatively connected to both the keylever and the type bar so that a 'full depression of the keylevel-produces a dead center relation of parts'in a plurality of placesin said connections, with the type bar at a distance from the platenfrom which position it completes its travel by momentum alone, thusreducing noise.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with key levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated type barcomprising a lever having unequal arms, a link connecting the longer armto the type bar, and a link connecting the shorter arm to the key lever,a full depression of the key lever moving each link to a dead center ortoggle locking position with the type bar at a distancefrom the platen,from which position it completes its travel by momentum alone, thusreducing noise.

4. lin a t pewriting machine, the combination with toy levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated type barcomprising a lever, a link connecting the lever to the type bar, and alink connecting the lever to the key lever, a full depression of the keylever moving each link to a dead center or toggle locking position withthe type bar at a distance from the platen, from which position itcompletes its travel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combina= tion with key levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated type barcomprising a lever, a link connecting the lever and the ty 0 bar, and alink connecting the lever and t e keylever, a full depression of the keylever moving the first hnk to a position where its ends lie in astraight line with the pivot of the type bar, and the second link to aposition where its ends lie in a straight line with the pivot of thelever itself, the ty e bar at this time being at a distance from t eplaten and completing its travel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with key levers and typebars, of connections between each key lever and its associated t pe barcomprising a pluralit of links, eac of which is moved by a fulldepression of a key lever to a toggle locking position with the type barat a dlstance from the platen, from which position it completes itstravel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

7. In a typewriting machine the combination with the key levers of eseaement mechanism comprising a rocker-p ate a lever pivotally mounted onthe rocker-plate and having an arm ada ted to engage-the rocker-plate, auniverse bar operated by the key levers, and connections between theuniversal bar and the lever carried by the roekenplate.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination With a universal bar, ofescapement mechanism comprising a rocker plate, a lever pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on the rocker plate and havin one end inposition to engage the rocker p ate after a predetermined movement, andconnections eeeee between the other end of the lever and the 10universal bar, whereby the movement of the universal bar first moves thelever independently of the rocker plate and then moves the lever and therocker plate.

7 In testimony whereof I have hereunto 15 subscribed my name.

EDWARD B. HESS.

